Cardinal Bernardin Early Childhood Center with two Chicago locations at St. Bonaventure, 1651 W. Diversey Parkway and St. Teresa of Avila, 1940 N. Kenmore, received the award from the Montessori Initiative Vice-Chair Richard Ungerer who stated, that the honor was being presented for “balancing rigorous academics with community service in the spirit of both Montessori and the United Nations’ Peace Through Education program.”

“We are extremely proud of all the outstanding achievements at Cardinal Bernardin Early Childhood Center since its inception in 1998, and for this important honor for the faculty, parents and children,” remarked Dr. Nicholas Wolsonovich, Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of Chicago. “Their educational program for infants, toddlers and children up to nine years old, is one of the few in Chicago that offers Montessori classes in a Catholic environment.”

The special recognition from the United Nations was received for the school’s outstanding and innovative efforts to incorporate international and peace studies into their curricula, and for reaching beyond the classroom walls to involve students in programs that help them understand, firsthand, the need of people from diverse cultures worldwide.

Sr. Barbara Jean Ciszek, (or Sister BeeJay as she is affectionally known), was especially pleased to receive this award in light of the school’s policy to turn no child away. “We provide financial assistance for those who are unable to afford tuition and support the inclusion of children with special needs. In fact, our students are a very culturally and economically diverse group of children, and our educational programs serve to support the rich cultural, ethnic and economic diversity of our students and families. We even have different languages spoken and taught in various classrooms including Sign, Polish, and Spanish,” said Sr. Ciszek.

The Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Chicago play a critical role in the life of the community by providing academic excellence and faith formation for students of many races, faiths and backgrounds in elementary and secondary schools in Cook and Lake counties. There are 218 elementary and 40 secondary schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago. To locate a Catholic school in your area and learn more about Catholic education in Cook and Lake counties, visit the Office of Catholic Schools web page on the Archdiocese of Chicago web site at www.archchicago.org

Sr. Barbara Jean Ciszek, SCJ (Sister BeeJay) is the center of attention during story time at Cardinal Bernardin Early Childhood Center Chicago